To meet consumers' requirement for carrying convenience, slim and light have become the prevailing trend of notebook computer development. With the size of the notebook computer shrinking gradually, the capability of connecting peripheral devices and hardware expansion also is constrained. Hence many notebook computers now provide a docking port or added on circuit facilities to couple with external peripheral devices. Besides to expand hardware capacity, it also provides additional output functions.
In order to reduce overall space utilization and improve the convenience of peripheral expansion, many notebook computers provide a port replicator to couple with the connection end located on the rear or lower side to achieve expansion purpose. Refer to FIG. 1A for a conventional notebook computer 11′ and a port replicator 13′ that are coupled together. The connector of the conventional port replicator mostly adopts a fixed design, and cannot be coupled with the notebook computer in a movable manner. When coupled with the notebook computers of different specifications or sizes, due to different locations of the connection end of the notebook computers, different elevations occur as shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C. It causes operation inconvenience. Some could even result in impact between the machine and the desktop, and shorten the life span of the computer. Moreover, the elevation differences also alter coupling angle of the notebook computer and the port replicator, and affect signal transmission quality and could damage the connector.
Refer to FIG. 1D for a port replicator with alterable coupling angle (R.O.C. patent No. 408257) that aims to overcome the problems mentioned above. The connector 26′ is mounted onto a connection dock 24′ which is located on a base 22′ in a turnable manner. The connection dock 24′ has a pair of hooks 38′ to latch a notebook computer coupling on the connection dock 24′. The connection dock 24′ may be turned relative to the base 22′ to adjust the angle and solve the problem caused by the elevation difference. However, the connector 26′ is fixedly mounted onto the connection dock 24′ and become an integrated body, angle adjustment is not flexible. Assembly and replacement of elements also are not convenient. There is still room for improvement.